Town Sports International Launches New Marketing and First Social Media Campaign

Town Sports International (TSI) is launching a new marketing campaign, #IBUILTTHIS, for all of its Sports Club brands, which are New York Sports Clubs, Boston Sports Clubs, Philadelphia Sports Clubs and Washington Sports Clubs.

Town Sports International (TSI) is launching a new marketing campaign, #IBUILTTHIS, for all of its brands, the company announced on Tuesday. The campaign also is the first social media campaign for the company.

The marketing campaign, which is the first under newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Ryan, celebrates the healthy lifestyle accomplishments of real people while encouraging others in the fitness community to do the same.

"Our intent with this campaign is to celebrate the fitness community and what it has worked so hard to build," Ryan said in the announcement. "We thought it was important to embrace the make-up of cities where we're located and include a variety of influencers and people to share their #IBUILTTHIS stories socially to inspire communities in meaningful ways."

#IBUILTTHIS features some of the "finest" and "bravest" emergency responders in each city, including New York police officer Mike Counihan, who has a popular Instagram account, @NODONUTSHERE, and New York firefighter Joe Schiraldo, who is a Golden Glove champion with the New York Fire Department boxing team and was featured in the FDNY calendar. Other New Yorkers featured include a cheerleader from the Jets Flight Crew as well as select New York Sports Clubs staff and members.

In-club #IBUILTTHIS mirror clings will encourage members to snap a photo of their workout or cooldown, post the photo with the campaign's hashtag and share their stories on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Participants with the most motivational and inspiring posts will be "regrammed" and retweeted and have the chance to win various branded products and complimentary memberships.

The clubs also will have celebratory pop-ups of support and encouragement for the most compelling and inspiring stories throughout the campaign.

"Integration of the physical and digital spheres highlight the fact that fitness isn't just something you try to squeeze in a few hours a week. It's more than that. It's something you strive for and build on," Ryan said. "We're excited to make our members a truly active part of this engagement where they can also serve as shining examples of what they've 'built.'"

In addition to the #IBUILTTHIS social media and digital strategy, the ads will be displayed in club locations and via direct mail as well as in painted murals and wild postering throughout each city that hosts a TSI location.

TSI had 153 fitness clubs as of Sept. 30, comprising 105 New York Sports Clubs, 27 Boston Sports Clubs, 13 Washington Sports Clubs (two of which are partly owned), five Philadelphia Sports Clubs, and three clubs located in Switzerland. TSI also owns three BFX Studio locations. Those locations are not part of the marketing campaign.